To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the Education Training Inspectorate’s review of their scheme of inspection.

The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) has engaged in an extensive process of consultation and co-design work with schools, organisations and a wide range of stakeholders, to inform the development of a new inspection process. An analysis of the responses to the consultation on the development of inspection was published by ETI in August 2023, please see link : https://www.etini.gov.uk/news/eti-publishes-findings-consultation-development-inspection

The analysis of feedback has informed the revised inspection process, including the function and purpose of inspection and the associated development of the new inspection framework, which is now at an advanced stage of readiness. To deliver on ETI’s vision of being ‘the voice for equity and excellence for all learners’, there is a renewed focus on the centrality of the learner in the inspection process, using five questions for consideration as the core of all inspections. The core questions include a renewed emphasis on the ethos and culture of the school/organisation, its context, vision and values, and how it creates a community of learning. School/organisation self-evaluation and development priorities are central to the new inspection process.

A number of pilot inspections commenced in the autumn term of 2023 across the early years, work-based learning and youth phases. Due to ongoing industrial action, no pilot inspections have been undertaken in primary or post-primary schools. Examples of the reports from the organisations involved in the pilot inspections can be found on the ETI website: https://www.etini.gov.uk/publications/type/inspectionreports

ETI is continuing to engage with schools on the new model of inspection and undertaking a series of ‘Empowering Improvement’ events with a range of school leaders. The development of inspection has been broadly welcomed by stakeholders. ETI will continue to review the feedback from the schools/organisations participating in the pilot inspections, in addition to its ongoing engagement with the wider education system to communicate the changes to the inspection process.